tolasfandomcom-20200213-history
User blog:Brady26/Dragon Hatchery
Returning to Greenest with Leosin Erlanthar, but missing Barra who had been taken captive, the group arrives in the morning at the Governor's Mansion to reveal that the camp had at least eighty cultists and around a hundred kobolds in the camp, while Leosin was able to inform them of the hierarchy of the cult; this local band was led by a Frulam Mondath, with her Champion Langdedrosa the blue dragonborn warrior enforcing her will, and then another leader, Rezmir, that seemed to be higher in the rankings of the cult them, and being most interested in what the half-elf monk knew of their plans. Believing an attack could be coming in retribution for their actions, Darion expressed doubts over the ability of Greenest to defend itself whilst many of the militia were being trained in Eldswall, though the Governor had faith that now that they know of the cult and the militia that remain would be able to repel them with the many sentries they have on watch as well as the keep still being intact, still having his doubts Darion suggested a mass evacuation of the town as the potential for the dragon to return was also present, though the Governor saw such an action as only risking the lives of everyone in the town. Tired from their ordeal, the group returned to the Fount Inn to rest and discuss how they should approach the camp. Sildar requested the aid of Kadmos in training some of the militia in case of an attack, helping with the preparations should the cult and their dragon return. Deciding to enter the camp in disguise and rely on subterfuge, the remaining members of the group, Darion, Barion and Rack scoured the town for things to help them. Rack sought poison from the Chamain, the alchemist reluctant to discuss such things until Darion began to raise his voice, threatening the man in the bar, not wishing to attract attention Chamain agreed to sell them a potion he had obtained from a creature that dwells in the mountains where the city of Stracaralome holds sway. Buying the poison, though frustrated at the man's reluctance to sell them a potentially lethal substance as they threatened him, they left for the general store. Outside, by the fountain a puppet show of The White Knight of Blackbrick Keep was entertaining a number of the citizens of the town, speaking with the puppeteer, Barion asked if he knew anyone that could help with creating a disguise, the young master of handheld theatre suggested the general store, or the half-orc Ugmar who was rumoured to have connections with some big thieves guild, pointing to an alley where he hung around most nights. In the alley the group found unswept soot and debris from a fire, the only untouched object being a barrel. Investigating the barrel yielding few results, they asked in the inn bus Alais informed them that she did not deal with that man and that Gin knew him but he had left to go to his family homestead. Leaning against the wall in the alley, rack noticed some notches on the barrel, marks in a sequence of some sort that he half recognised from similar markings around the streets of Okarthel but he did not understand it's meaning. Attempting to open the barrel and breaking his knife in the process, Darion helped him and found the barrel was filled with rainwater and rocks to weigh it down. Giving up on the Ugmar contact, they went to the general store, were Voldamod, the trader was restocking his shelves, he agreed apply a disguise kit before the group left in the evening. Resting until nightfall the group receives their disguises, subtle alterations making Barion appear to be a human, Darion an orc and dulling the shine on Rack's scales to make him appear like a light brown dragonborn unless closely inspected. Having secured 450 gold from Leosin to buy potions from Chamain, the group entered the half-elf's room in the inn, waking him from his slumber, seeking to buy potions from him, the tired man agreeing to sell them two of his potions, for 300 gold and take another 100 gold to begin preparations on another two potions. Lastly, the three of them grabbed some cultist robes belonging to the raiders that died in the initial attack on the town from Escobert before he burned them. As their disguises were being put on them, Darion went to the town blacksmith to inquire about a helmet that might cover his face, hopefully one to match his disguise, the green armour of the veteran he had defeated, the blacksmith was able to provide a simple coif with a chain link cover as well as knife with colourful ripples along the blade's length to replace the one Rack broke in his encounter with the barrel. Travelling in the dark, the group took a longer route to the camp to avoid any patrols and approach from another angle, but as they got closer they noticed that the camp had been abandoned and that the once bustling and lively encampment was now silent. Entering the camp they see that the tents have been either packed away, burned or left to collapse, with no guards in sight they approach some some hunters that were preparing animal skins. Hoping to use their disguises, the group demanded answers from the hunters who were confused why cultists would be asking such things, as the cultists had clearly left and gone elsewhere and neglected to tell these hunters. Frustrated at their lack of answers and refusal to show the men where the eggs were, which they claimed ignorance off, Darion struck one of them, playing the part of an overzealous cultist, at this the group of hunters abandoned the camp. Moving into the rear of the encampment the three men saw the cave entrance, standing in front of it for a moment to discuss how they should enter it, Rack suggested he would go ahead with a torch whilst Darion and Barion followed behind. Realising as he had taken a few steps into the cave that his two companions had better vision in total darkness than him, and perhaps a lit torch was not a good idea in a stealth approach, he was jumped by two guards. In his hesitation the men slashed at him, the howling wind being drawn across the cave entrance muffling their war cries as they slashed at him with their blades, knocking him over as they charged the other two. Drawing upon strength he did not know he had, Rack stood up again as the Relthorne brothers battled the two guards, Darion smashing them aside as Barion lashed out at them with his magicks, taking cover behind his brother. Catching their breath, they continued further into the cave, Darion noticing a concealed passage to the south, deciding that if someone took the effort to hide this route then it must lead to a hidden area. Presented with a choice of two narrow passages the group entered into a treasure room that had been recently emptied, with only a few scatter coins and gems left along with a drunk cultist with several bottles of Ertvine Fine Wine. ''Attempting to interrogate the cultist yielding no results as the man seemed completely incoherent, Darion killed him as he slumped over a broken crate. Going back to the division in the passage, they approached the other route, seeing a room filled with beds and praying cultists, along with some sleeping guards. Hoping to see what lay in the next room, Barion used the ''disguise self ''spell to make himself appear like the cultist they had just executed in the treasure room, he entered the room and began to feign praying next to other cutlists hoping to look into the next room, but due to a curve in the passageway he could not see more than a few feet down it. One of the guards, noticing his nervousness and mumbling of the prayers approached the man to reprimand him for being drunk, Barion unable to keep his nerve as the man placed his hand on his shoulder, seeing through the subtle illusion of the spell as his fingers phased partially through clothing. In an act of desperation Barion cast the ''thunderwave spell, hurling most of the unsuspecting cultists against the wall of the small room. Rushing to his aid, Darion and Rack dashed in and out of the room hoping to lure cultists away from Barion. After a desperate battle where Rack and Barion hurled fire across the room, incinerating the mattresses, the three stood victorious, but now sure that their battle had been heard, as not one but two thunderwave ''spells were cast during the fight, the echoes of which still rung out through the cave. Taking a moment to rest, the group was anxious about whether to turn back or not as they had been badly hurt and were feeling drained. Deciding to press on, advancing down the curved passage, with Darion leading, they found themselves upon the threshold of an office, with a writing desk and stool lit by two oil lamps. On the other side of the room were four men, each wearing armour of a different colour, red, blue, black and white. Believing these to be the companions of the warrior in green that had very nearly slain him, Darion halted in his tracks as fear swept over him. Steeling himself, he stood his ground blocking the passage with his tower shield, telling his brother and Rack to flee, the guards however merely stood their ground, standing with halberds out. Taking their chance, the three of them fled, bumping into a group of kobolds carrying the meat the hunters had delivered, the group hacking through them with ease as they rushed towards the exit. There, standing in the cascading light from the Silver Veil, was Langdedrosa, the champion of the cult. Blocking their escape, Darion thought quickly and told him that the militia were right behind them, and if they did not let them go now then they would die. In that moment, doubt crept into the eyes of Langdedrosa Cyanwrath and he stood unmoving as Barion and Rack fled past him. When Darion stepped by, Langdedrosa raised his blade, warning him that it was not over between them. As they fled from the camp, Rack heard Langdedrosa speak with his lieutenants about a secured prisoner and relics. As they approached Greenest they were hailed by militia that were on watch, the watchmen escorting them to the mansion where Governor Nighthill was roused along with Leosin. Hearing that the camp was abandoned, Leosin was quite concerned and it was agreed that what militia could be spared, along with what horses remained in the town would be sent to return to the cave and clear it of any threats. Gathering their allies, Sildar, Leosin and his students, along with Escobert and Sergeant Markguth and twenty or so militia members, Darion, Barion, Kadmos and Rack set off to the camp. There they found the cave abandoned, exploring the cave they found evidence many more rooms, their occupants and whatever treasure they may have held taken with them. Carefully bypassing some traps and aggressive mushrooms, the group made their way through the now empty cave. Returning to the office they had encountered the four guards, they searched the room, finding a few articles of clothing belonging to a woman and a map of the Greenfields region showing the farms and villages the cult had attacked, to Barion's shock he saw that the Relthorne Farm had been attacked. The map also showed a large arrow leading north east towards Eldwall and beyond towards the Rimecost region, likely showing the route that the cultists were travelling with the stolen treasure. Deciding to stay and see what else the cave held, the grouped split up to cover the areas already searched. In a refuse pile Rack spied some gems that were left behind, which he retrieved as the militia rallied around them in the centre of the cave. Coming across a cold room filled with meat and animal carcasses, Barion grabbed a butcher's cleaver that was in the centre of the room, he and Darion noticing a dark aura around it. Exploring further they found a shrine room devoted to Tiamat, with many carvings of black dragons covering much of the walls, the group noticing that the mouths of the dragons had holes in them, which they believed would shoot arrows at them should they trigger the trap, which they saw was attached to a chest in the corner of the room. Attempting to trigger the trap without entering the room, but his darts being unable to cut the string that held the trigger, Rack entered the room, noticing a battered and unconscious Barra chained to two pillars. With Darion's help they broke the pillars as Kadmos administered first aid, stabilising the dying man, chastising Darion who told the militia that Barra was not to be trusted. Barion agreeing with Kadmos that the state they left him in clearly shows he is not a member of the cult. Deciding they wanted to open the chest, everyone except Rack left the room as he approached the trapped chest, cutting the rope and triggering the trap, but instead of arrows a thick green acidic vapour began to pump out of the mouths of the carvings, Rack receiving a bad burn but managing to avoid inhaling the lethal gas as he fled the room. Once the acid had dispersed they entered the room and used the ''Dwarven Locksmith on the chest, unfortunately, whatever contents it once held must have been taken when the cave was abandoned. In the final room, the group found a large chamber with two dead guard drakes a primitive alchemical station and an altar where two large eggs lay smashed, the bodies of two dead black dragon wyrmlings before them. Glancing around Barion was too distracted by his concern for his brother Larion to get a sense of what could have occurred here, Darion too concerned about hidden threats and Rack distracted by retrieving some bombs the kobolds had left behind to investigate. Concluding that cultists had gone to Eldswall and that the town of Tendown could be at risk, the party requested the use of the horses, which Sergeant Markguth agreed to, sending the remaining horses with riders with them should they encounter trouble at Tendown. Speeding north towards the road, the group rode off in pursuit of their quarry, their allies promising to be behind with what reinforcements they could bring. Category:Blog posts